Honestly, The Boys is not just a regular superhero series. It is a genre to which the chaotic, violent, and satirical punches get thrown, and it doesn’t bother at all with the tit-for-tat aspect. However, the real attraction beneath the extreme gore and dark humor is a group of complicated, imperfect, and captivating characters who, by their presence, make the Boys universe out to be a tit-for-tat. We are still feeling the impact of the 4th season, so here is our countdown of the top 10 characters – whether we love them, hate them, or just can’t decide what to think of them.
10. Ashley Barrett
Ashley is the ultimate survivor. From cowering PR assistant to Vought’s highest executive, she’s climbed the corporate rungs by the skin of her teeth, brains, and a pinch of moral compromise. She’ll grovel, she’ll lie, she’ll even ruin lives to maintain her job—yet there’s a pathetic quality to how much she needs validation from the same people taking advantage of her. You never know if you’re supposed to cheer for her or wish she’d finally receive her comeuppance.
9. Hughie Campbell
Hughie is our key to this crazy world—a normal guy one moment and then surrounded by living weapons. He’s clumsy, decent, and far from saintly, but that’s what makes him human. His transformation from wimpish bystander to willing to get his hands bloody is the main pulse of the show. And his dynamic with Starlight? That there is still sincerity here.
8. Stan Edgar
Giancarlo Esposito brings his signature cool menace as Vought’s confident leader. Stan isn’t superpowered, but he doesn’t need to be—his brains, cunning, and willingness to play every angle make him one of the most lethal individuals in the room. Seeing him keep Homelander in line is a repressed thrill, even when you know he’s just as rotten as the rest.
7. Starlight (Annie January)
Starlight begins as the innocent new face, but she learns soon enough just how far Vought’s corruption extends. Rather than cracking, she struggles harder—emerging as a precious exception to the rule in a world where integrity is scarce. Her standoff with Homelander and her awkward but sincere romance with Hughie add more complexity to her character than your typical “shining hero” trope.
6. The Deep
Equal parts tragic and absurd, The Deep is The Boys’ best trainwreck. Sure, his initial actions are unforgivable, but his never-ending procession of bad choices, cult involvement, and misguided attempts at redemption make him an intriguing catastrophe to behold. He’s what occurs when someone has the abilities of Aquaman but the judgment of a reality TV personality.
5. Black Noir
A man of few words—more accurately, no words—Black Noir is all mystery. He’s deadly, effective, and shrouded in layers of intrigue… until we discover the heartbreaking truth behind his past. His bizarre hallucinations of cartoon animals bring a quirky and sorrowful element to an otherwise stoic character, making him one of the show’s most pleasantly complex characters.
4. Ryan Butcher
Ryan may appear to be an innocent boy, but he’s got something much more sinister in his hands: Homelander’s powers and possibly his influence. He goes from being terrified of his father to grinning at his brutal outbursts—and that’s what makes him horrific. Ryan is not only a part of the narrative—he may be the world’s worst nightmare come true.
3. Victoria Neuman
She’s a confident, well-intentioned politician on the outside. In truth? A supe with a secret so explosive it makes her head pop off and a brutal will to survive. Neuman bides her time, even turning on friends and doping her daughter with Compound V to protect her and keep her formidable. She’s evidence that in The Boys, power corrupts whatever pretty face it wears.
2. Queen Maeve
Maeve’s journey is a slow burn from a disillusioned member of the team to an actual hero. She’s a tough, practical woman who’s not afraid to make unimaginable sacrifices in the name of the greater good—such as sacrificing her powers to neutralize Soldier Boy. Her confrontations with Homelander are some of the show’s most charged moments, solidifying her as one of the most powerful members of The Seven.
1. Mother’s Milk (M.M.)
The heart and soul of The Boys, M.M., is the rock that keeps the group stable. Haunted by personal tragedy but in no way willing to sacrifice his ethics, he’s the voice of reason when the rest of the group is losing their minds. His quiet strength, loyalty, and refusal to let the madness eat away at him make him the show’s most level-headed—and perhaps most crucial—character.
The Boys doesn’t merely shower us with superpowered pandemonium—it constructs a universe chock-full of exquisitely human, morally complicated characters who linger in your mind far after the credits have finished. And for that reason, even when a show is saturated in shock value, it’s the characters that keep us returning.